Electrical relay



ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed May 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 w/rA/Ess 4 /5 Feb. 18, 1930. D. R, LOVEJOY 1,747,309

1 ELECTRICAL RELAY Filed May 28, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J4- INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE DIMMITT ROSS LOVEJOY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR- TO U. S. E. M. COMPANY, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK ELECTRICAL RELAY Application filed May 28, 1926.

This invention relates in general to electrical relays of the electromagnetic type, in which a magnet circuit is employed to control the position of the magnet armature, which in turn actuates, for example, a circuit controlling switch and may, if desired, mechanically actuate a visual or audible signal or indicator. The relay in its preferred form may be either an open circuit relay or a closed circuit relay, and the electrical switch which is actuated by the movement of the armature may be a simple circuit closing and opening switch for one or more circuits, or a switch of the throw-over type for changing the connection from one circuit to another.

The principal object of the invention is to provide certain refinements of electromechanical construction and operation, as will more fully appear.

For purposes of illustration, I have shown in the accompanying drawing an embodiment of the invention, in which a visual indicator is mechanically actuated by the movement of the armature, and at the same time an electrical circuit, which is to be controlled by the relay, is opened and closed.

In said drawing,

Figure 1 indicates a front elevation of the electromechanical relay with the armature heldin closed position by the energized electromagnet.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation thereof, taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a detail View, partly sectional, of coacting portions of the switching mechanism actuated by the magnet armature.

Figure 4 is a detail view of the adjustable pivotal mounting of the magnet armature.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5`5 of Figure 1, illustrating the mounting of the visual indicating disk to be mechanically actuated by the armature movement.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the construction and operation of a circuit breaker for testing the magnet circuit.

Figure 7 is a circuit diagram of the apparatus.

Referring in detail to said drawing, the ap- Serial No. 112,304.

paratus is built up upon a base panel 10 of slate or other insulating material. The magnet comprises the coil 11, mounted upon the laminated core 12, which is of U-shaped form providing two field poles 13 and 14, the core being secured in posts 15 which are secured to the panel 10 by screws 16. Four of these posts are provided in the construction illustrated, two upper ones and two lower ones. The upper posts are in two sections with the laminated core between them, whereas the lower posts are in four sections with the laminated core between the second and third sections of each post. A screw rod 17 passes through all the sections of each post, the post sections being tapped to accommodate it. By turning the sections thereon, they7 may be moved into binding engagement. with the surfaces against which they are to seat. These screw rods 17 terminate short of the outer ends of the posts so as to admit of the screws 16 already mentioned, which secure the posts to the panel 10, and the screws 18 which secure a perforated face plate 19 to the outer ends of the posts. At the top of this perforated face plate 19 may be mounted a frame or rack 20 to receive, for example, a card bearing an identification of the particular apparatus which the relay controls. This feature is, of course, more particularly useful in systems involving a number of units.

Extending across the field poles 13, 14 and bridging what I may term the interpolar space, is the laminated armature 21. This armature is pivoted at 22 in a pair of brackets 23 which are in the form of arms extending in a direction generally parallel with the armature 21. These two bracket arms 23 are pivotally mounted on one of the screw rods 17, the upper arm being disposed between the two outer sections of the lower left-hand post 15 and the lower arm being disposed between the two lower sections of that post. In addition to being thus pivotally mounted on the screw rod 17 in the lower left-hand post 15, the arms 23 are slotted at 24 (see Figure 4) to permit the screw rod 17 in the lower right hand post to pass freely through them, when the arms are assembled between the two outermost sections and the two lowermost sections example, in the case of the face plate ot this post. In cases where the pivot member .17 is in the form ot a headed pin which is countersunk into the outer arm 23, al cover plate may be pivotally mounted on the outer arm 23 by means of a screw 26, for the purpose of coniining the pivot pin. TWith the construction or" the apparatus just described, the correct alignment or register of the armature with the pole faces is readily obtained by loosening the post sections which bind the arms 23, whereupon the tree ends of the arms, carrying the pivot ot' the armature, can be swung in an arc aboutY the pivoted end of the arms as tar as permitted by the slot 24. ln connection with this adjustment, it is important to note that the pivotal axis 22 is disposed to one side ot theinterpolar space so that the swing of the pivoted armature will cause all of that portion or" the armature, whichV is within the interpola space, to move in the same direction with respect to both pole faces. When the parts are loosened for adjustment, as described, the magnet can be brought iat against the two pole faces to insure the correct adjustment of the pivotal axis 22 and while being held in this position the parts may be tightened to lock the parts 23 in this position. By reason ot tie substantially parallel relation et1 the arms 23 with respectto the armature 2l, and the location of the pivotal support of the arms at the opposite side from the pivotal support of the armature, the movement o1c the armature transversely of the pole pieces during the adjustment of the pivotal support is reduced to a minimum. There is, however, necessarily some slight transverse movement, in view oi which l prefer to make special provision for permitting a playv in one of the switch members, which will be described later. The form of relay illustrated includes a mechanical indicatorV disk 27 (Figure 5) which is mounted on a collar 23 journalled on an arbor 29 which is secured in the perorated face plate 19. The collar 28 carries an eccentric pin V30 to which is connected a link 3l that is pivotally attached at 32 tothe armature 21, as clearly seen in Figures l, A: and 5. Movement of the armature 21 thus -rocks the indicator disk 27. By suitablyplaced marks on the outer tace oi disk 27, with relation to sight openings or pe tera tions 33 in the face plate 19, the position of the armature may be clearly indicated. For being made black, the disk maybe provided with black spots which register with the pertorations 33 when the armature is closed, and at other portions lei't a plain white so that when the armature is opened, these white spaces occurring opposite the openings or perforations 33 in the blackened tace plate will catch the eye and enable theeobserver to quickly discover which relay has been operated.

Forthe purpose of controlling an electri` cal circuit, the armature 21 is provided with a switch member which will now be described. F or this purpose, the armature is constructed with a strip of micarta or other insulating material 3a which is coniined in the bundle oi the armature laminze and projects beyond the free end thereof, as clearly shown in Figure l. A contact member 35 is pivotally mounted at 36 in the end of this insulating strip 34 (see Figures l and 3) and has electrically connected therewith an insulated conductor 37 which is brought to the armature at a point near the pivotal aXis 22 of the armature, from a lined binding post 33 (Figure l). This insulated conductor 37 is secured to the armature by a retaining sleeve 39'which is suitably mounted on the armature. In this construction, it is to be noted that the bending of the conductor 37 between the moving armature and the iixed binding post 38, occurs at a point nearthe vpivotal axis 22 and hence does not Aoffer much opposition tothe :tree movement of the armature. It will also be observed that the contact member 35 on the end ot the switch arm 34 is electrically connected with this conductor 37 at the pivotal axis 36 so that the conductor at this point oers very little opposition to the pivotal motion of the contact member. The contact member 35 may be made to close or open a circuitthrough one or a plurality of stationary contact members or terminals. In the eX- ample illustrated, the armature does not close a circuit in the upper position, but is intended to close a circuit when it drops by gravity upon the discontinuance of current through the magnet coil'll. The upper portion of the contact member 35 may, for this purpose, be formed to abut against the fiat end of a stop screw 40 which is adj ustably positioned in the post Llil so as to limit the closing movement of the armature and maintain a slight clearance space between the armature and the pole faces. The lower portion of the contact member 35Yis provided with a conical recess to iit over the conical end of a terminal screw 42. which is adjustablymounted in the post 43. In order that thek contact between the member 35 and the member 42 may be well established when the armature drops, it is desirable that the contact member be allowed to adjust itself slightly on the pivot 36. This provision `is especially desirable in view of the slight element of transverse motion which occurs in the adjustment of the arms 23 in whichthe armature 2l is pivoted, as heretofore described.

Y The control circuit for the magnet winding 1l enters and leaves at the binding posts la and (see Figures l and 7 V). Either alternating or direct current maybe employed. From binding post 44a conductor leads to binding post 46, from there to one end of the magnet coil 1l, from the other end of the magnet coil l1 to a bindingpostV 47, and

from binding post 47 by a conductor 48 to conducting leaf spring 49 which is fixed in the supporting posts 50 and 5l, behind the panel l0, as clearly shown in Figure 2. yllhe lower free end ot' leatl springl 49 normally rests against a Contact 52 trom which a conductor 53 leads to binding post lt will be observed in Figures l, 6 and 7 that the leaic spring 49 passes under a perforation 54 in the panel l0 which is exposed to the outside. Provision is thus made for manually opening the magnet circuit to test the operation of the relay. By means of a pencil or similar implement inserted through the perforation 54, the leat spring' 49 may be depressed to move it from its seat on the contact 52, thereupon opening the magnet circuit. llhen this circuit is thus broken, the armature drops, provided the parts are in working order. rlhe dropping of the armature is conspicuously indicated by the rotation of the indicating disk 27, beneath the perforated face plate 19, as already described.

The circuits operated by the switch member carried by the armature are not in themselves a part of this invention. They may, of course, be quite variable. In the example selected for illustration, post 43 is electrically connected by conductor 55 with a binding post 56, to which one side of a circuit to be controlled may be connected and the post 38 may be connected by conductor 57 with a binding post 58, to which the other side or" such circuit is connected. rThe dropping ot the armature brings contact member 35 into Contact with the adjustable terminal screw 42, as already described, thus establishing` the circuit from binding post 56 through conductor 55, post 43, terminal screw 42, contact member 35, conductor 37, post- 38 and conductor 57 to binding post 58. It is obvious that when the armature is closed, a similar contact might be employed between contact member 35 and adjustable screw 40 which is mounted in post 4l, for this purpose utilizing the' conductor 59 which extends from post 4l to a binding post 60 to which the second outside circuit may be connected.

I claim 1. A relay comprising` an electromagnet with two ield pole shanks and an armature extending across the interpolar space, a bracket pivoted at one end to a fixed support and pivotally connected at the other end with an end of said armature, and means tor locking said bracket in adjusted position.

2. A relay comprising an electromagnet with two lield pole Shanks and an armature extending across the interpolar space, a bracket extending generally parallel with respect to said armature and pivoted at one end to a iixed support and pivotally connected at the other end with an end of said armature, and means for locking said bracket in adjusted position.

3. A relay comprising an electromagnet with two lield pole Shanks and an armature extending across the interpolar space, a bracket comprising a pair of arms pivote'd at one end to a fixed support and pivotally connected the other end with an end of said armature disposed between the two arms, and means for locking said bracket in adjusted position.

4. A relay comprising an electromagnet, an adjustable pivotal support for the armature of said magnetpermitting adjustment ot' the pivotal axis toward and away from the pole face of the magnet, and an adjustable stop for arresting the closing movement of said armature.

DIMMITT ROSS LOVEJOY. 

